How One Midtown Firehouse Commemorated the 25th Anniversary of 9/11, tell me about this news in (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/nyregion/engine-54-firehouse-911-nyc.html)

The report focuses on Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9often referred to as the “Pride of Midtown,” located at Eighth Avenue and 48th Street in Manhattanmarking the 25th anniversary of September 11.Significance of the FirehouseEngine 54 holds a deeply somber distinction in FDNY history: on September 11, 2001, it suffered the greatest loss of life of any individual firehouse. Every firefighter on duty from the station that morning15 men across the engine, ladder, and battalion unitsperished while responding to the World Trade Center attacks.Key Highlights of the Commemoration

• Generational Transition: A central theme of the 25th anniversary is the passage of time. A large portion of active FDNY firefighters today were either not yet born or too young to remember 2001. Veteran and retired members of the house (including John Fila, the last firefighter from the station who served prior to 9/11) emphasized the responsibility of keeping the personal stories and memories of the 15 fallen men alive for the newer generation.
• Family and Community Presence: Hundreds of family members, surviving veterans, FDNY personnel, and longtime supporters gathered outside and within the Midtown firehouse. The event brought together widows, children, and grandchildren, reflecting on both the enduring pain of the loss and the close-knit bonds forged over two and a half decades.
• Generational Service: The gathering highlighted stories of continuity, including sons of the fallen firefighters who grew up to join the FDNY themselves and serve in the very stations and uniforms of their fathers.
• Traditions of Honor: The commemoration featured the firehouse’s traditional rituals of remembrance: reading the names of the 15 fallen members, standing in silence before the memorial wall displaying their portraits, and laying wreaths and keepsakes at the station.